Every Banarasi silk saree begins its journey long before a single thread touches the loom — with a silkworm, a cocoon, and a process that has remained remarkably unchanged for thousands of years. Most people who wear silk have little idea how much work goes into producing the raw thread itself. Understanding this process gives a deeper appreciation for why genuine silk fabric carries the value — and the price — it does.
It Starts With the Silkworm
Silk production begins with the silkworm, most commonly the Bombyx mori species, which feeds exclusively on mulberry leaves during its larval stage. Over a period of several weeks, the silkworm eats almost continuously, growing rapidly before entering the next stage of its life cycle — spinning a cocoon around itself as protection during metamorphosis.
Spinning the Cocoon
When ready, the silkworm spins a single continuous filament of silk thread, secreted from glands in its body, wrapping it around itself in a figure-eight motion to form a protective cocoon. This single filament can measure several hundred metres in length, an extraordinary feat considering the cocoon itself is barely the size of a small egg. The process of spinning the cocoon typically takes two to three days.
Harvesting the Cocoons
Once the cocoon is fully formed, it's carefully harvested, generally within a specific window before the pupa inside would naturally emerge as a moth. In traditional silk production, the cocoons are then treated with heat, either through steaming or boiling, to soften the natural gum called sericin that holds the filament together, making it possible to unwind the thread intact.
Reeling: Unwinding the Filament
The next stage, called reeling, involves carefully unwinding the continuous silk filament from the cocoon, usually combining several filaments together at once to create a thread strong enough for weaving. This is delicate, skilled work, since breaking the filament partway through reduces the usable length and affects the quality of the final thread. Multiple reeled filaments are twisted together in a process called throwing, which gives the silk thread its strength and determines its final thickness.
From Raw Thread to Weaving-Ready Silk
Once reeled and twisted, the raw silk thread often still carries traces of sericin gum, which can be removed through a process called degumming, resulting in the soft, lustrous texture associated with finished silk fabric. At this stage, the thread may also be dyed before weaving, depending on whether the fabric will feature yarn-dyed patterns or be dyed as a finished piece after weaving.
Where Weaving Comes In
Only after all of these stages is the silk thread ready for the loom, where weavers — including those crafting Banarasi silk — begin the equally intricate process of turning raw thread into patterned fabric, often incorporating zari alongside the silk to create the finished weave. This is where the raw material finally starts to take the recognisable shape of a saree, dupatta, or length of fabric.
Why This Process Explains Silk's Value
Understanding the sheer number of stages involved — feeding silkworms for weeks, carefully harvesting and reeling thousands of cocoons, and then twisting and preparing the thread before weaving even begins — makes it clear why silk fabric, particularly handwoven pieces, commands a higher price than most other textiles. Each length of Banarasi silk represents not just weaving skill, but an entire agricultural and manual process that starts months before the fabric itself is created.
A Note on Different Silk Types
While Bombyx mori silk (commonly called mulberry silk) is the most widely used and generally considered the finest quality, other varieties like Tussar and Eri silk come from different silkworm species and involve variations in this same basic process, often resulting in fabric with a slightly different texture, sheen, or thickness.
Final Thoughts
The next time you run your hand across a silk saree, it's worth remembering the process behind that fabric — weeks of feeding, days of spinning, and careful, skilled reeling, all before a single thread reaches the loom. It's a process that hasn't changed dramatically in centuries, and it's a large part of why genuine handwoven silk continues to be valued the way it is.
Related Reading
Once the thread reaches the loom, zari is often woven in alongside it — our piece on real vs tested zari explains how that material is made and what sets it apart. To see how silk holds up over time once it's a finished garment, our guide to weather, humidity, and silk saree storage covers proper care.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does it take to produce silk thread from a single cocoon?
The silkworm itself takes a few weeks to grow before spinning its cocoon over two to three days, after which harvesting, reeling, and thread preparation add further time before the silk is ready for weaving.
What is reeling in silk production?
Reeling is the process of unwinding the continuous silk filament from a cocoon, usually combining several filaments together to form a thread strong enough for weaving.
Why is raw silk thread degummed before weaving?
Degumming removes the natural sericin gum that holds the cocoon's filament together, resulting in the soft, lustrous texture associated with finished silk fabric.
Is all silk made from the same type of silkworm?
No, while Bombyx mori (mulberry silk) is the most common and widely considered the finest, other varieties like Tussar and Eri silk come from different silkworm species and produce fabric with distinct textures.
Why does handwoven silk cost more than other fabrics?
The cost reflects the entire process behind it — weeks of silkworm rearing, careful cocoon harvesting and reeling, thread preparation, and then the skilled labour of weaving itself.
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